About Nathaniel Fish

Nathaniel Fish was baptised on 20 Jun 1619 in East Farndon. He died in 1694. He married first wife, Mehitable Miller in Sandwich, MA in 1647. He married second wife, Lydia Miller in Sandwich, MA in 1665. Nathaniel and his brothers John and Jonathan Fish were early inhabitants of Sandwich. Nathaniel and John Fish were each allocated 1-1/2 acres of meadow on 16 Apr 1640 in Sandwich. John, Jonathan and Nathaniel Fish are in the Sandwich section of the 1643 list of those between 16 and 60 able to bear arms in Plymouth Colony. Nathaniel was allocated 2 acres of meadow on 16 Apr 1640 in Sandwich. At the court held on 20 Aug 1644 Nathaniel was among those for whom a warrant was set forth to testify against John Ellis, accused of fornication with his later wife Elizabeth Freeman. John was publicly whipped. Servant Robert Ransom complained that he was badly treated by his master Thomas Dexter, Jr. The Court said that this could not be proved and Thomas Clarke of Plymouth bought out his time. On 4 Aug 1654, the Court warned Robert to improve his behavior and it fined Nathaniel Fish of Sandwich 20 shillings for entertaining Robert and abetting him in his stubbornness toward his master.

Nathaniel Fish was also known as Nathaniel Fyshe. He was also known as Nathaniel Fish. He was baptized on 20 June 1619 at East Farndon, Northhamptonshire, England. He was the son of Thomas Fish and Mary Sprigge. Nathaniel Fish immigrated in 1635 to Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts. He resided at at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, in 1637; and helped to form a new colony on Cape Cod. He was among the settlers of 1637-1640, those who were long-term settlers, along with John Fish, Thomas Burgess, and Richard Bourne. 'With them [the original 10 grantees in 1637] came also a large number of persons chiefly from Lynn, Duxbury, and Plymouth, viz: Thomas Burge, Henry Ewer, John & Jonathan & Nathaniel Fish.' It would appear that Nathaniel married more than once, as the inventory of his estate, taken 14 Mar 1693/4 and entered at Plymouth Probate Court 4 Oct 1694, mentions his last wife, Lydia Fish, as sister of John Miller of Yarmouth, MA. Another record states that he married Lydia Miller, sister of John Miller, in 1643. A Lydia Miller, daughter of Rev. John and Lydia Miller, was born 2 Feb (or 12 Apr) 1640, at Rowley, MA.

No record of the first wife of Nathaniel has been found in 1643. He was in 1643 at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts; He was on the 1643 list of those in Sandwich 'age 16-60, liable to bear arms'. He married (Unknown) (Unknown) before 1645. Nathaniel Fish married Lydia Miller circa 1656; ii. Lydia, m. ... Fish. Nathaniel Fish was in 1658 at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts; 'In 1658, to lay out and order the true bounds of every inhabitant's lands' Nathaniel is listed as an owner to be surveyed in Sandwich. He owned one-half of a church pew at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1658. He the owner of 1/2 of a church pew at Sandwich in 1658 at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1658. He married Lydia Miller in 1664 at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Nathaniel Fish was in 1690 at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts; The town abruptly bought of Nathaniel Fish 'the home lot of upland that said Fish now dwells on' and ordered that this lot 'together with the skirt of swamp adjoining to it on the westerly side shall lie and remain to the only proper use and behoof of the Rev Mr Rowland Cotton and his heirs and assigns forever if he shall continue amongst us ... in the work of the Ministry;' Nathaniel Fish was about seventy one at this time; There is no record of the size of his house or his reaction at this taking. From the 1667 survey, we believe this location was near the meeting house and probably on or about the present Dan'l Webster Inn site. He was in 1692 at Jarves St. to Ox Pasture Neck, Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts; The location of Nathaniel Fish's house is not clearly stated, but since it was taken by the town later as a home for Reverend Roland Cotton it was near the meetinghouse. It is probably the location of Reverend Leveridge's humble house earlier. He died in 1693 at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts; aged about 75. His estate was proved in 1694 at Barnstable County, Massachusetts; The estate of Nathaniel Fish, totaling in all about £31, illustrates the least-propertied category in this study. He had a two-room house, five acres of upland, three acres of meadow, an ox and a cow, an old sword, a few books, two skillets, hooks and an iron pot, two pans, a 'small old bed' with bedding, and his clothing. At eight acres his property was barely sufficient for life's needs. Fish's estate went in toto to his widow as it did not even meet her reserved rights of £60 as stipulated in the marriage contract. He died in 1693/94 at Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. He died before March 1694 at Barnstable County, Massachusetts. He left a will in March 1693/94